This morning, the Denver Postreports that Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Denver president and CEO Jeffrey Campos was arrested last week on domestic violence charges -- an ugly turn of events for a man once named father of the year by the Father's Day Council of Colorado, as well as for the Chamber, which is trying to figure out how to minimize the bad PR.

As the Post notes, a judge has sealed arrest records in the case. As a result, we know only that Campos was initially accused of second-degree kidnapping and third-degree assault -- a felony and a misdemeanor, respectively. Moreover, Campos attorney Gary Lozow calls the allegations "profoundly overblown" and raises questions about whether formal charges will actually be filed.

In the meantime, the Chamber has put Campos on a paid leave of absence and sent board members the following e-mail about how to deal with inquiries from the press. Among the most interesting aspects of the second note, from chairwoman Debbie Trujillo: Anyone contacted directly by Campos is advised not to discuss the matter with him, since the Chamber is being represented by legal counsel related to the situation.

Below, read the e-mail and see a larger version of Campos's booking photo.

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Subject: FW: Statement Regarding Jeff Campos and Media Questions

Dear Board Members,

I am forwarded a message from Debbie Trujillo, Chairwoman of the Hispanic Chamber of Metro Denver. Please read the email below regarding Jeff Campos. We continue to work to understand the events around this sad situation but as our Hispanic Chamber Education Foundation board is equally impacted by this news, I wanted to share where we are now.

Please forward all media inquiries to Bridget Richards... or Jane Ingalls... at Artemis Communications, which is the Chamber's PR firm. I am sure you have questions and concerns. I will continue to forward information as the Chamber board receives clarity. The July Board meeting is still scheduled for this Thursday at 7:30 am at the Chamber but please feel free to contact me in the meantime as needed.

Laura English

Statement Regarding Jeff Campos

Dear Fellow Board Members:

The purpose of this e-mail is to advise you that our President & CEO, Jeff Campos, has been placed on a paid leave of absence. The Executive Committee decided that such action was appropriate in light of Jeff's recent arrest. Because we are unaware of the circumstances that caused the arrest, we have decided that all board members should refrain from making any statements to third parties regarding Jeff or any matters related his arrest or employment with the Chamber. Below is a statement that the Executive Committee has authorized that can be made to third parties who inquire about Jeff. Any further inquires from the press should be directed to Jim Pinto, Executive Board Member. Nevertheless, if you are contacted about Jeff or this matter, we recommend that you refrain from making any comment. Further, if you are contacted by Jeff, you should also refrain from discussing this matter with him as both he and the Chamber are currently represented by legal counsel. Finally, we are in the process of taking steps to obtain additional information regarding the circumstances that preceded this unfortunate situation. We will be in touch once we obtain such information. In the meantime, you should feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

Statement Regarding Jeff Campos

We recently learned of the arrest of our President Jeff Campos and are saddened by it. The Hispanic Chamber is not in a position to comment on this matter at this time. The Hispanic Chamber and its Board of Directors stand committed to serving its membership and moving business forward.

Michael Roberts has written for Westword since October 1990, serving stints as music editor and media columnist. He currently covers everything from breaking news and politics to sports and stories that defy categorization.